From Local Connections to Regional Impact: The Florida Facilities Summit Story

In facility management, some of the best ideas begin with a simple conversation.

Several years ago at IFMA's World Workplace®, leaders from Florida's IFMA chapters found themselves discussing a shared challenge. While the state's facility management community was rich with talent and expertise, most educational opportunities remained localized within individual chapter boundaries.

The question quickly became: What if facility managers from across Florida could come together to learn from one another?

That conversation sparked an idea that would eventually become the Florida Facilities Summit, a collaborative educational event created by the IFMA Greater Orlando, Jacksonville, South Florida and Suncoast chapters.

What began as a discussion among volunteers has grown into a six-year partnership that continues to connect facility management professionals, showcase industry expertise and strengthen relationships throughout the state.

Creating a space for FM knowledge sharing

From the beginning, the goal was not to create another trade show or industry conference.

The vision was to create a platform where facility managers could share their experiences, lessons learned and practical solutions with their peers. The Summit's guiding theme became "FM Expertise on Display," reflecting a commitment to highlighting the knowledge that already existed within the profession.

Bringing that vision to life required significant collaboration. The four Florida chapters agreed to invest resources, share leadership responsibilities and work together to create an event that would benefit facility managers across the state, and eventually, the region.

The result was the inaugural Florida Facilities Summit in 2022.

Built by facility managers, for facility managers

One of the defining characteristics of the Summit is its volunteer-driven approach.

Educational sessions are led by facility management professionals who bring real-world experience and practical insights to the program. Rather than focusing solely on outside experts, attendees learn directly from practitioners who are navigating workplace challenges, operational demands and emerging industry trends every day.

The event also combines education with opportunities for networking and relationship building. Facility tours, keynote presentations and professional networking events create additional opportunities for attendees to exchange ideas and expand their professional networks.

This combination of education and engagement has helped make the Summit a unique experience within Florida's facility management community.

What collaboration can accomplish

The Florida Facilities Summit represents more than a successful event. It demonstrates what can happen when chapters work together toward a common purpose.

Creating a statewide program required trust, communication and a shared commitment to member value. Volunteer leaders from each chapter contributed their time, expertise and energy to build something larger than any one organization could have achieved independently. Among those leaders was Grace Cubarrubia, FMP, a longtime IFMA advocate whose passion for professional development helped support the collaborative vision that brought the Summit to life.

"Inspired by one of the World Workplace events we attended together, Renee Ponik and I began asking a simple question: Why not create a regional platform that showcases the expertise of Florida's facility management professionals?" Cubarrubia said. "The response from FM professionals across the state has been overwhelmingly positive. Volunteer presenters, speakers and panelists embraced the vision, while associate members stepped up to support it. The key was putting the idea out there and creating an opportunity for people to build something meaningful together."

Over the past six years, that spirit of collaboration has continued to guide the event's growth and success.

A model for growth

Perhaps the most important lesson from the Florida Facilities Summit is that meaningful growth often begins with participation.

The event started with volunteers who were willing to share an idea, invest their time and work together across chapter boundaries. What followed was an opportunity for facility managers to learn from one another, develop professionally and strengthen connections throughout the industry.

The experience also offers a valuable reminder for IFMA members and chapters everywhere. Some opportunities are too large to tackle alone. By combining resources, sharing expertise and focusing on value, members can create programs that deliver greater impact for their communities and the profession.

Taking a regional idea global

What began as a statewide collaboration is now creating opportunities for international engagement.

For the 2026 Florida Facilities Summit, facility management professionals from Brazil's FM Connection have been invited to participate in the event, bringing additional perspectives and expertise to the program. The collaboration reflects a shared commitment to advancing the profession through knowledge exchange and professional connection across geographic boundaries.

The inclusion of Brazilian FM professionals represents a natural evolution of the Summit's original vision. What started as an effort to connect facility managers across Florida has grown into an opportunity to foster dialogue between professionals from North and South America, creating new opportunities to share best practices, discuss emerging trends and learn from different approaches to facility management challenges.

As the profession becomes increasingly global, these connections help strengthen the FM community and reinforce the value of collaboration as a driver of innovation and professional growth.

Looking ahead

The Florida Facilities Summit has grown since its early planning conversations, but its purpose remains unchanged: creating opportunities for facility management professionals to learn from one another and strengthen the profession together.

What started as an idea among chapter leaders has become a lasting example of what collaboration can achieve. As facility management continues to evolve, initiatives like the Summit demonstrate the value of sharing expertise, building connections and investing in the growth of the profession.

The 2026 Florida Facilities Summit takes place 5-7 August in Orlando, Florida, bringing together facility professionals from across the region for education, networking and professional development.

Author's Note: B. Renee’ Ponik is a Certified Facility Management (CFM) Professional. Ms. Ponik has over 35 years’ experience in the facility discipline working for NASA, primarily at the Kennedy Space Center. Her experience includes, master planning, facility design, construction management, real property accountability, space utilization, and more recently facility and asset management. Ms. Ponik's last assignment was with the NASA HQ Level (still residing at KSC) overseeing the development of leasing policy (both by the agency and of agency assets) and the Real Estate warrant officer program. She holds two advanced degrees, B.S. Chemical Engineering and M.S. Industrial Engineering. Ms. Ponik has served 13 years on the International Facility Management Association, Greater Orlando Chapter Board of Directors and currently serves on the America's Board representing the IFMA Southeast Region as a co-chair. She strives to enrich the FM community with a special emphasis on young professional development.